Spinach and Quinoa Cakes

Pasta and Grains, Vegetables,

Spinach and Carrot Quinoa A
Quinoa. Pronounced keen-wah. What is that? The first time I heard about Quinoa was through my daughter who is a very health conscience individual. We were talking about different healthy foods and she mentioned how she likes Quinoa. Kiddo (nickname from her Dad) told me it was similar in some ways to Couscous which I love. The difference between the two (at least for me) is that Quinoa has a crunchier texture, nutty taste and is lighter than Couscous. To really enjoy Quinoa I have found it is best to add additional flavors during the cooking process or mix it with other foods. I usually cook Quinoa in chicken broth rather than plain water to give it an extra boost of flavor.

Spinach and Carrot Quinoa C
I came up with a Spinach and Carrot Quinoa Cake when I saw a frozen vegetarian patty that looked kind of gray and blah. To really be good, food should not only taste good but look good. Vibrant colors and presentation add to the pleasure of eating. The bright green, orange and yellow in the Spinach and Carrot Quinoa Cake will make you say “yummy” even before you take a bite.
Spinach and Carrot Quinoa Cakes Fini 1        Spinach and Carrot Quinoa D

As always, I use my family as guinea pigs when trying new dishes. To be honest, I was not sure this one would go over very well since my son does not like cooked carrots. Surprisingly, I got a thumbs up on the first try, carrots and all.

 

Spinach and Quinoa Cakes

Ingredients:
2 ¼ cups low sodium chicken broth
1 egg beaten
½ cup shredded carrots
1 bag baby leaf spinach
1 cup Quinoa
1tsp dried parsley
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare Quinoa according to package using 2 cups low sodium chicken broth.

In a medium sauce pan melt butter and olive oil. Add ¼ cup of low sodium chicken broth to the pan then add spinach and carrots. Cook spinach and carrots until spinach is wilted stirring occasionally. Gently squeeze veggies in a colander to drain. In a large bowl mix together veggies, Quinoa, egg and seasonings.

Spray lipped cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place a small cooking ring (I made my own out of foil and will tell you how later) on the cookie sheet and fill with the Quinoa mixture. Slowly remove ring and reshape if necessary. Repeat until all of the mixture is used. Bake for 15 minutes and serve.

Optional:
½ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
½ cup sliced sauteed mushrooms

Foil Ring:
Take a 3-4 inch piece of foil and roll it like a cigar. Curve the foil around until it forms a ring about 2 inches in diameter. If you want bigger cakes, make a bigger ring. You can cut off the excess or wrap it around the ring.

 

 

Cabbage and Tomatoes with Sausage

Vegetables, ,

Cabbage 5
After a long day at work I do not want to spend a lot of time pulling dinner together. Healthy, quick and easy is my goal during the week. My tomatoes, cabbage and sausage dish accomplishes just that. Plus, there are not many dishes to clean up with this one pot dish. All it takes are a few veggies and your favorite sausage to make this a healthy and hearty meal that everyone will enjoy.
Tomato

As with a lot of dishes, cabbage is even better the next day after the seasonings have time to settle in. Make sure to pick a cabbage head that has a few dark green leaves to help brighten up the dish and add rich color. Luckily, cabbage is available year round so I can fix this dish anytime I am low on time to get a healthy meal on the table. I like to use beef kielbasa for this particular recipe but turkey or chicken kielbasa works well if you are not into beef. If you want to spice it up a bit, you can mix in andouille sausage too.
Cabbage 6

Even picky eaters like my grandson are drawn to this dish because of the vibrant colors and wonderful smell. If a dish smells good and looks good, you are half way to delicious. Tasting it will take you all the way there.
Cabbage_1

So…… What’s for dinner?

 

Cabbage and Tomatoes with Sausage

Ingredients:
2 slices of smoked bacon cut in half
6-8 links of beef kielbasa cut into ½ inch pieces
1 small to medium head of cabbage sliced thinly
1 medium onion peeled and sliced
1 14 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 14oz can spicy red diced tomatoes
1 ½ cup chicken stock or broth
½ cup water
2 tbsp frying olive oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp red pepper flakes(optional)
1 tsp Goya Adobo all purpose seasoning
1 bay leaf

Optional:
Turkey or Chicken Kielbasa

Directions:
In a large pot cook bacon over medium heat until bacon fat is rendered. Add onions and stir to coat with bacon fat. Cook onions until they begin to turn soft. Add tomatoes, cabbage, chicken stock, water, bay leaf and seasonings then stir to mix together. Allow cabbage to simmer over medium low heat. Add additional broth if necessary.

While cabbage is simmering add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large frying pan and brown kielbasa. Drain on several paper towels then add to cabbage mixture. Continue cooking until cabbage is done. Approximately 25 minutes.

Serves: 4 – 6